Moderna, Pfizer showing promising results against COVID variants

(KYMA, KECY) - Health officials say COVID vaccines, Moderna, and Pfizer have proven to be highly effective against the variants first spotted in Brazil, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

CBS News reported trial results to show increased immunity against COVID-19. Moderna said that it would start seeking approval from the Food and Drug Administration by the end of the month. As for Pfizer, it's already trying to get the approval by month's end.

Both vaccines currently involve getting two shots.

Sources say Moderna showed people who got the third shot of its current vaccine had increased antibody levels against the South African and Brazilian variants.

Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel tells CBS News, "We are encouraged by these new data, which reinforce our confidence that  our booster strategy should be protective against these newly detected variants."

But Pfizer says its vaccine provided more than 95% protections against COVID-19.

The study found that two doses carry 95.3% protection against infection and 96.7% protection against death seven days after the second dose.

Jonathan Ball, professor of Molecular Virology at the University of Nottingham, said, "Importantly, the study shows that two doses of the vaccine significantly increase levels of immunity and protection. This is why it is important that people get both doses."